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dental care for bedridden mother w/Alzheimer's
I've been caring for my 89 yr old mother with Alzheimer's for several years. She fell & broke her hip this past February, & has been bedridden since. She has decay in her bottom teeth, & one tooth is nearly completely rotted away. As she can't walk, I can't get her to a dentist; & even if I could, she would likely not…
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DH is fighting his care every step of the way
I am not sure I can keep caring for my DH. He is in his late 70's with vascular dementia and Alzheimer's. He is in a later stage. He is always combative when it comes to his care. Recently he has needed disposable briefs. Actually I guess I needed them as I could not keep up with the cleaning and laundry when he was…
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Just hit me there is no Calvary
I got sick over the weekend, turned out to be slight case of pneumonia, all I needed was some nyquil right. My one son was in Michigan, other son at work and lives 30 mins away. I truly felt alone. I did teach myself how to use doordash. Sounds silly but I had never used it before. I guess what I'm saying is we will…
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Alzheimer's and spinning - things moving/jumping
Hi new here - My SO has probably early stage 6 Alz. He has started becoming more agitated and can no longer do ADL's most days. Today he called me to get him from Day Care. He said he was really sick - no fever, Heart Rate, BP, and muscle i.e ability to hold arms out in front of him and close eyes - no stroke symptoms -…
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New clinical trial for MCI
https://www.brightfocus.org/resource/the-ahead-study-can-alzheimers-be-prevented-or-slowed-before-symptoms-begin/
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New clinical trial for MCI
https://www.brightfocus.org/resource/the-ahead-study-can-alzheimers-be-prevented-or-slowed-before-symptoms-begin/
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What do I do?
I am not sure where to start… I waited a year for DH to have an MRI. The results mention the word dementia but all the other medical language concludes with “not significant “ . We have not seen the neurologist yet. That is two months away. His behaviors continue to be concerning. He didn’t know how to use a credit card at…
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Panic mode
Ok, I know we’ve all had some pretty harrowing experiences with all this. So we took, what I knew, was going to be our last trip to be with kids at Christmas. DW is in very late stage but always travels well because I leave early and she sleeps most of the way. Well, not this time on the way back. Like a caged animal. So…
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Christmas Envelopes
My DH has two sons and two grandchildren. I don’t know what to do with their Christmas gifts(money) We haven’t heard from any of them yet during this time. No calls no text messages. Should I take the money out and mail each one a check or just wait? It’s just me and him ( and the wildlife in my house 😳 ) and he hates me.…
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Losing the better half
I lost my wife to this dreaded disease on Oct 12, and I cannot to the tears. I loved her so much and I took care of her by buying whatever was needed to make her comfortable. I made sure she was clean all of the time and when she was calling out for a drink, I was there. I bought her a hospital bed, a Pure Wick, A floating…
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New diagnosis, new to group. Having a rough ugly cry day.
I have been very emotional, ugly crying today. Today is hard, others are not- those days I am "numb". I am 41, married for 19 years, I have 5 kids ages 8, 10, 17, 18, 20. I have tested positive for PSEN1 which is one of 3 variants known to cause young onset Alzheimer’s. I have had cognitive symptoms since August 2023. I…
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Knee surgery for PWD?
Both of my DH's knees are severely deteriorated and he qualifies for knee replacement surgery. He has MCI but most likely has progressed to stage 4. I'm terrified to have him go through the surgery because 1) I've read that general anesthesia can cause further cognitive decline, and 2) I'm not sure that he will have the…
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Please help 😭
Hello everyone. My name is Susan. Just to give you an idea of who I am and what is going on 💔. I have two sisters and one brother. And both of my parents. My Mom is losing her memory and she is starting to get really mean. This is not my Mom when she is mean. My Mama is a fun loving, carefree, kind and caring woman. But…
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She loves me and loathes me
My wife of 55 years has Alzheimer’s and I thought I could manage this problem. I watched my lovely mum disappear into the state of madness and in hindsight I think now I was too tough on my Dad for not being able to understand that my Mum (her original being) had left. He was arguing with her shell. It’s my turn now and…
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Today would have been our 40th Anniversary
today 40 years ago we were married. It’s been a sad day. I miss him so much it hurts but I wouldn’t want him back to suffer. Hugs to all in Stage 8. 💜
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Christmas in MC
My mom has been in MC for three months. She has never stopped telling us she wants to leave, it’s been a constant during every discussion and visit. She is approx at the end stage 5. She can still hold conversations (with added delusions and confabulations). She was obsessed with “moving” out by Thanksgiving and is now…
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Swallowing Toothpaste & Mouthwash
My wife has unfortunately reached another stage in this dreaded journey. Things she could do just 3 months ago now seem like a dream. Any ideas how I can stop her swallowing the toothpaste & mouthwash?
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Seems to be progressing quickly
Just two weeks ago, my DH was diagnosed w/amnestic MCI with concern for Alzheimer's. The neurology team ordered a "more thorough" MRI (than DH previously had), a PET scan, and the APOE blood test. Once those tests are complete, they will meet with us to discuss a plan. Today, DH asked me how my mother was doing. My mother…
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How long did your loved ones stay in stage 5, 6, and 7?
I’ve read Tam Cummings staging and estimated duration of each. I’m curious as to everyone’s experience here on the time your LO’s spent in each of these stages? My DH went through 3 and 4 fast (just over a year) and is a solid 5 now with a couple of cognitive areas in 6. Do most make it to 7? I can handle a lot but am…
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Input requested for oxygen use on very late stage dementia
I’m sorry if this question is inappropriate for this forum but it asks a question about very end stage dementia and I thought those her might be more knowledgeable and willing to provide some insight. I has also posted this question on the spousal caregiver forum. My DW has been in Stage 7f for about a year. She is…
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Where to start?
Hello- new to this virtual support group and relieved since it looks like caregiver support options are limited where we live (central Kentucky). My main questions is how do caregivers orient where they (and the LO) are in this journey? And when to gage on the next step. Our story: I'm 38 and sandwiched between my 9 & 4…
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Is your PWD aware they are incontinent
I know that incontinence is something that eventually occurs with dementia. I fear it is beginning for my husband. He has experienced small amounts of leakage for about a year, but it has been something small that he seemed to notice and take care of. He is on 2 different meds for an enlarged prostate. I thought that was…
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I’m puzzled
My love is alzheimer type. In 2021 I went to see his cousin and sister to visit and kind of tell them you have a few years left to get in touch with him. Cousin never called again even for his birthday and his sister once or twice a year. A day late for his birthday. I wished they would have called him once a month. 2…
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How do you respond to family inquiries?
My DW is was diagnosed with EO several years back. She is 60yo and deep into stage 5. She has a very supportive and loving family (parent and siblings) that are several states away. They are good people and I am fortunate to have such pleasant in laws. They reach out to us periodically to ask "how are things going?" In the…
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Alvin didn’t make it…maybe more
My sad Christmas story. I’ve been trying to catch Alvin for 2 weeks now. Alvin the chipmunk has been stuck in my walls and I’m afraid of what he might be eating so I set a trap. I opened my silverware drawer a couple days ago and Alvin scared the sh•• out of me. I thought maybe I was seeing things cause of stress but then…
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Emergency Respite Care
Hello! I’ve been a longtime member here but haven’t checked in for several months. I wanted to share my recent experience with my own emergency situation and what happened with DH. Although he was diagnosed in 2013, he’s been declining very quickly during the past year and a half. He’s probably very late stage 6. He…
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Antibiotics for (presumed) UTI
I noticed on mom's last pharmacy bill that she'd been prescribed an antibiotic in mid November. I had heard nothing about this so I contacted the NP who provides care at mom's MC. She replied that the med was prescribed "at request of staff due to some behaviors." I also heard nothing from MC last month about unusual…
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Can't remember my DW pre-dementia
I am in stage 8. My DW was diagnosed in 2016 and died in August of this year. Her symptoms started in 2012. I cannot remember what my DW was like pre-dementia. It makes me so sad. I hope those memories will eventually come back…
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No Time For Grieving
My heart is broken. My Mom passed away a week ago and she was my rock. She couldn’t help me physically with my DH who has Parkinson’s/dementia but she was always there to talk and keep me sane. Now she’s gone and I want to crawl up in a ball and just grieve but I can’t because all the things we do for our spouses still…
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Extremely overwhelmed
my husband is in the hospital, I spent Christmas there. When I got home I was so relieved. However all his many tests showed he was fine. Apparently his meds are the problem. We called 911 because he was unresponsive and fading fast. I’m sure they will release him today and I don’t know what to do. I was told by a nurse…